Dicentra plant named ‘Rekka’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dicentra  plant named ‘Rekka’, characterized by its rose-colored flowers, blue-grey colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dicentra×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Rekka’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dicentraplant botanically known as Dicentra×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Rekka’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inFukagawa, Japan during July 2002. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Dicentra cultivars that are have fragrant flowerswith unique flower coloration.

The new Dicentra cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is Dicentra peregrine ‘Hien’, notpatented, characterized by its dark red-colored flowers, blue-greycolored foliage, and a mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent ofthe new cultivar is Dicentra eximia, not patented, characterized by itsrose-colored flowers, blue grey-colored foliage, and vigorous, moundedgrowth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollinationduring October 2004 in a controlled environment at Fukagawa, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceOctober 2004 at Fukagawa, Japan has demonstrated that the new cultivarreproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Rekka’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Dicentra plant:

-   -   1. Rose-colored flowers;    -   2. Blue-grey colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and from plants of the male parent primarilyin vigorousness of growth.

Of the many commercially available Dicentra cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is Dicentra ‘King of Hearts’,unpatented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of ‘King of Hearts’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker red flower color        than plants of ‘King of Hearts’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more silver colored foliage        than plants of ‘King of Hearts’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Rekka’. Theplants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Rekka’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Rekka’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Apr. 17, 2007 between 1:00p.m. and 3:00 p.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch potsfor 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatureswere maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.)during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Dicentra×hybrida cultivar Rekka.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.— Dicentra peregrine ‘Hien’, not patented.        -   Male parent.— Dicentra eximia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Root.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 14 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, rhizomatous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 12 to 16 weeks from            bareroot plant to finish in a one gallon plant.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 21.0 cm. Width: Approximately 33.6 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Non-branching.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per plant:            Approximately 9. Fragrance: Strong. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Arise basally from central crown, and            occasional cauline leaves on peduncle.        -   Leaves.—Shape: Broadly ovate. Margin: Deeply bipinnatifid.            Apex of divisions: Acute. Base of divisions: Attenuate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of basal leaf:            Approximately 13.0 cm. Width of basal leaf: Approximately            13.2 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous.            Color of upper surface of young foliage: 146A with            indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of young            foliage: 146B with an overlay of 187C with indistinguishable            venation. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            Glaucous, N138A with indistinguishable venation. Color of            lower surface of mature foliage: Slightly glaucous, closest            to N138C with indistinguishable venation.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 9.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.3 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A with an            overlay of 187C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Rekka’ is typically freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions from early April until September.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            14 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Panicle. Quantity panicles per            plant: Approximately 3. Fragrance: Slight perfume scent.            Length or height: Approximately: 2.9 cm. Width:            Approximately 5.1 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per            inflorescence: Approximately 4.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Length or height: Approximately            17.4 cm. Width: Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous.            Color: 144A with an overlay of 187C, overlay becomes less            intense as peduncle matures.        -   Rachis.—Strength: Strong. Length or height: Approximately            4.5 cm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous.            Color: 144A with an overlay of 187C, overlay becomes less            intense as peduncle matures.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 5 to 10 days for bud            to progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Pitcher. Length:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.3 cm. Color:            60A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Isobilateral, open heart. Aspect: Pendant,            nodding. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width: Approximately            2.1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 4 with one outer pair and one inner pair,            fused at base.        -   Outer petals.—Shape: Cordate, folded longitudinally. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Acute with a hooded appearance. Length:            Approximately 1.9 cm. Width: Approximately 1.3 cm. Texture            of outer and inner surfaces: Glabrous. Color of outer            surface when fully open: 60B. Color of inner surface when            fully open: 69D with a central spot of 71A at apex.        -   Inner petals.—Shape: Oblong, folded longitudinally. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Rounded with a hooded appearance. Length:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture            of outer and inner surfaces: Glabrous. Color of outer            surface when fully open: 69D with streaks of 60B and a            central spot of 71A at apex. Color of inner surface when            fully open: 69D with spots of 71B and a central spot of 71A            at apex.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Vestigial.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 2. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Width:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer and inner surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of outer surface: 61A. Color of inner            surface: 61B.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Obtuse angle to            rachis. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, each with a group of 3 anthers. Stamen length:            Approximately 1.8 cm. Filament length: Approximately 1.7 cm.            Filament color: N155B with streaks of 60B. Anther shape:            Oval. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color:            21A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 4D. Gynoecium:            Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately            2.0 cm. Stigma shape: Crested, in 4 parts. Stigma length:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: N144A. Style length:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Style color: N144C with an overlay of            187C. Ovary length: Approximately 5.7 mm. Ovary color: N144C            with an overlay of 187C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production was    observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Dicentra was not observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dicentra plant named ‘Rekka’,substantially as herein shown and described.